Uterine supporter.



, PATENTED JULY 16, 1907.

W. T. BAIRD UTERINE SUPPORTER.

APPLIOA'I'ION FILED HA3. 2. 1907.

'ms'mm'ms PETERS cm, wAsmrvawm WILLIAM T. BAIRD,.-OF EL PASO, TEXAS.

UTERINE SUPPORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1907.

Application filed March 2, I907. Serial No. 360,191.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. BAIRD, a citizen of the United States,residing at El Paso, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Uterine Supporters; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of uterine supporters wherein aflexible bulb is employed as the primary supporting member for theuterus.

The object of my invention is to improve upon the devices heretoforeknown by providing a special form of bulb having a top portion that willpresent to the mouth of the uterus an extremely soft and elastic cushionand a lower portion or base which while being pliable has sufficientrigidity to serve as a medium for forcing the uterus in place andmaintaining the bladder and the rectum in their normal position. Thislower or base portion is also constructed with a view of providing anefficient coupling by which it is secured to a rigid supporting memberfrom which it may be detached without danger of injuring the bulb.

The invention further consists in the details of constructionandcombination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1, shows in section, those organs, ofthe female to be supported, held in their normal position by means of asupporter constructed in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section of the several parts assembled the bulb being showninflated.

The supporter comprises a bulb, substantially ovoidal in form, having anupper self collapsible portion or segment a made of extremely thin andelastic material such as rubber and a lower normally non-collapsible butflexible cup-shaped portion or segment a which gradually increases inthickness towards its base and terminates with a reinforcing thimble aextending below it said thimble having a smooth bore of equal diameterthroughout.

B, designates a rigid hollow stem, preferably made of hard rubber, thecircumference of which is the same as that of the thimble whereby asmooth substantially unbroken surface is obtained between the parts. Oneend of this stem has a reduced portion forming a tubular neck I), ofsubstantially the same length and diameter as the bore of the thimbleand a shoulder 6 serving as a seat for the base of the thimble. On theend of the neck b is formed an ovoid nipple]; having an air passagecommunicating with the stem, and of larger diameter than the bore of thethimble, so that it will engage the inner end of the latter and hold thelower end against the shoulder b forming a perfectly airtight joint thatwill permit an easy separation of the parts for the purpose of cleaningor for the substitution of a new bulb. The other end of the stem isprovided with a screw-threaded reduced portion b which fits into thethreaded end of a second tube C, also preferably made of hard rubber.This latter section carries a puppet-valve c which opens towards thebulb and is guided in its movements by its stem 0, which insures anaccurate seating of the valve. The valve will be held on its seat by thepressure of the air in the bulb and it may readily be unseated, topermit the air to escape from the bulb when it is desired to remove thesupporter from the body, by pressure on the lower end of the stem towhich access is easilyhad through the lower end of the stem. The lowerend of the stem 0 is also reduced to receive one end of a flexible pipeD by means of which latter the bulb is inflated, said pipe being ofsufficient length to extend to the mouth of the wearer and preferablyprovided on its free end with a mouthpiece d.

The device is inserted into the vagina before inflation of the bulb. Inthis condition the upper segment a is contained Within the cup portion awhich receives -the fallen uterus and directs the mouth thereof onto thecenter of the segment a where it will remain, as the air which isafterwards forced into the bulb will cause the segment a to first expandaround the center forming a central pocket, as shown in Fig. 1. Thisprevents lateral displacement and insures a gradual and gentle raisingof the organ which may be forced further and into normal position afterinflation by means of the rigid supporting tubes whereby the segments aand a are moved as a unit.

After the uterus has been forced into normal position by aid of thetubes, the uterus E will rest on the top portion of the bulb while therectum F and bladder G will lie against the sides of the lower portion aas clearly shown in Fig. 1. In order to maintain the bulb in thisposition it is essential that the tubes be properly supported and Iprovide an elastic strap H having a central perforation through whichthe reduced lower end of the tube 0 projects, the shoulder of thereduced portion resting on the strap. Each end of the strap H is securedto a waist-band not shown by any suitable means. The strap being elastica constant and even pressure on the tube is insured in any position thepatient may assume.

A soft rubber cap I is placed over the lower end of the tube 0 to holdthe strap in position and further guard against leakage of air from thebulb.

I claim In a supporter of the character described, a flexible cupsliapednon-collapsing segment, normally adapted to re ceive the displacedorgan, gradually increasing in thickness from its upper edge towards itsbase and terminating in a thimblehavinga smooth bore of equal diameterthroughout and a thin self-collapsible inflatable top segment forming acontinuation of the cup-segment adapted when collapsed to be containedin the latter, incombination with a rigid supporting tube, of the samecircumference as the thimble, having a straight tubular neck portionterminating in an ovoid nipple of larger diameter than the bore of saidthimble, a valved extension tube having a reduced [0 portion forming asupporting shoulder and means for sespecified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention,

I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing 15 witnesses.

WILLIAM T. BAIRD.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. HARPER, 'l. E. SHELTON.

